Vintage Goodness - Mary Had a Little Lamb

Sadly my favorite local thrift store is closing... But the good thing about the store closing is that they are having an amazing sale to clear out the store. So when i found this stack of vintage children's books from the 50s i was just a tad excited when the store attendant informed me that "normally children's books are 60cents but with the 50% off sale they are just 30cents each." What!!!!


I know not everyone is as addicted to thrift stores and flea markets as some of us are, and i know there are people out there that just don't get it and think that things like this are "junky" but for someone like myself, coming across a find like this simply makes your day. I love how tattered and well loved these books are, it just makes them all the more special.


I haven't decided what to do with them or where to put them yet (ideas are appreciated). For now I will just stack them on the dresser in my daughters bedroom, and read them to her, but that may be a struggle since the stories don't involve Disney characters! Maybe I will end up using them for baby shower gifts, who knows?


But these well love books will most certainly continue to be well loved in their new home.

Unexpected.

I recently did a friend at work a small favor. She came to me wanting a little help altering a cardigan. To cut a long story short, it was a black cardigan and on the upper right chest area there was a decorative patch/embellishment that was a rather girly, frilly pink bow. It's not that it was it was hideous, but it wasn't good. And it certainly didn't suit the style of my coworker (Raquel). So I offered to take it and embellish/fix it and turn it into something a little more current that she would enjoy wearing. I added an arrangement of flower yoyos in black, white and a brightly colored blue fabric. It turned out pretty cool. Well I think it did. The cardigan should be making an appearance in a future issue of Altered Couture so unfortunately I can't show any pictures... However I was pleasantly surprised when Raquel came to my office recently with a gratitude gift that simply made my day. It was totally unexpected and that's what made it so special. I never expected anything in return for my favor so I was over the moon happy when she gave me this cool gift, and it made me realize that she was really happy with the cardigan.

Like a lot of women, one of my favorite stores is Anthropologie. I knew the moment Raquel handed me a gift in an Anthropologie bag that I would love it - whats not to love in that store? She added a sweet yet simple tag to the outside of the bag tied with a piece of decorative twill.

I love her handwritten note. I'm glad she doesn't have to wear something "cheesy" now! Cheesy would be bad.

Inside to my delight I found some cool gifts that any gal would love.

A cool flower brooch that you can attach to a shirt to add a little interest. The best thing about this brooch is that it doubles as a hair accessory. On the back it has a clip and a pin so I can choose to wear it either way!

Also included in the bag was a set of the cutest recipe cards ever! From a company that I just discovered recently, Rifle Paper Co. You must check out the website, its full of eye candy!

The best gifts are ones like this - unexpected.